Gravel cleaner



J. KLEPACH GRAVEL CLEANER Oct. 7. 1924.

sued Dec. v, 1922 Elf Patented @ct 7, 1924.

Y JOHN EEE'PACH, IoEcEDAE R'Arrns, IOWA. i

GEAvEL CLEANER. y

Application filed December 7, v1922i. SeralNo. (505,499.

v and usefulImprovements `in Gravel Cleanthe sluice-box.

ers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a fulL'clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enableA others skilled in theart to which' it appertains to make and use the same. f y

This invention` relates to the preparation of gravel as pumped fromwatercourses so as to render the same fit for use inv the making ofconcrete, and analogous building operations.

The object of the invention is to provide apparatus whereby the refusematter'found in river gravel, such as mud,y waterlogged sticks, bark,leaves, etc., may be easily and cheaply separated from the gravel, so asto leave the latter in a suitable condition for'l concrete mixtures, andthe like.

The invention represents an improvement in apparatus for the purpose asillustrated and described in a companion application for patent, No.605,498 filed December 7,

1922. In said application a single .sluicebox is shown and described,while in this application a pair of vsuch sluice-boxes are setside-by-side, and provision is made for alternately dumping them and atthe same time shunting the flow of material to the other sluice-box,whereby the separating operation is made continuous.

The invention is fully described and claimed herein, reference being hadto the.

accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improvedgravel cleaner. Fig. 2 is a central, longitudinal section of the same.Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line4 4 of Fig. 3, looking to the right.

On suitable supports 5 is mounted a` long sluice-bo-x 6, separated intotwo adjoining compartments by a longitudinal partition 7. Each of thesecompartments is provided with a dropping bottom-board 8, herein shownhinged at the inner sides to the midrib 7a, to which the partition ispreferably attached by brace-irons 9. The bottomboards are provided withlateral arms 8a, which connect by short chains 10 with a longer,horizontal chain 1l, at each side of The chains are supported by sheaves12, andto each long chain is attached a'heavy weightl to counterbalancethe weight of the gravelf as accumulated on the bottom-board* Vhen theweight of the load exceeds 4that of the counterweight, the

bottom-board swings downwardly, dumping cev the load, as shown 'inFig-.f` 4. A shallow cavity vis formed for the gravel, by 'abaiiieboard-14 at the lowerl end oftlie'bottomboard, (as respects thelflow of material),' and thick cross-planki'ng -15"at the upper end.l f

Reterringfto Figs. Zand 3 it will be seen ,that the'. partition extendsabout as far t0- ward' the head end of lthe vsluice-box as thebottom-boards. Directly opposite this Y end of the partition is themouth of a pipe or trough 16, which issup-posed to communicate with asand-pump (not shown), whichA supplies the gravel mixed witha largeroportion oi' water, from the river bed.I course of the materialesdischarged from the pipe is controlled by-a delecting board' 17 hingedat 18 to the end of the partition. rIhis detlecting guide-board iscontrolled by chains 19 passing over sheaves 20, and connecting with therespective bottom-boards.

Itpwill be evident that when one off the bot- I' tom-boards descendswith its load of'gravel, the guide-board l will be drawn toward it.rllhis deiiects the current of flowing material into the othercompartment, whose bottomboard is already up and ready to receive it.r

This action being alternative, there is no pause in theaction of theapparatus dueto the dumping ofthe load, and its operation is thus:continuous.y

To rid the bottom-boards of any adhering material after dumping, theapparatus lis provided with a shaker, the same being a hand-lever 21each side of the sluice-box,

and connecting with the suspending chain.

By this means the bottom-boards may be shaken to dislodge anystickingmaterial.k

I claim:v p. y.

1. In a gravel-cleaner, a long sluice-box to receive the material, alongitudinal dividing partition, laterally hinged bottomboards for eachcompartment, load-suspending means connecting with said bottomboards, adetlecting board at thepreceiving end of the sluice-box, to shunt thematerial to either compartment, and means adapted to deliver thematerial in a watery, iowing condition to said sluice-box.

2. In a gravel-cleaner, a long sluice-box to receive the material, alongitudinal dividing partition, an adjustable deiiectingboard at thereceiving end thereof, hinged bottom boards for each compartment, meansfor supporting a load thereon, means for delivering the flowing materialto the sluicebox, and means connecting the deflecting board with therespective bottom-boards, whereby the material is shunted from thecompartment being emptied to the other.

3. ln a gravel-cleaner, a long sluice-box to receive the material, alongitudinal dividing partition, a defiectingboard= hinged at its upperend, separate bottom-boards hinged to the bottom of the partition, meansfor supporting a load thereon by gravity, chains connecting thedefiecting-board with the respective bottom-boards, supporting sheavestherefor, and means adapted to deliver the material in a watery,vflowing condition to the receiving end of the sluice-boX.

4t, In a gravel-cleaner, a long sluice-boX to receive the material, adelecting-board hinged to its upper, receiving end, bottom; boardsvhinged to thebottom of the partition, and below the receiving anddischarging level of material in the box, means adapted to connect thebottom-boards with the deflecting board, and thereby shunt the flowingmaterial to 'the bottom-closed compartment, and means for supplying thewatery, flowing material to the sluice-boX.

5. ln a gravel-cleaner, a long sluice-box to receive the material, alongitudinal dividing partition therefor, a laterally swingable defleeting-board hin-ged to the receiving end of the partition, amaterial-supplying pipe in substantially central alignment with thepartition, laterally hinged bottom-boards for eaeh compartment, andmeans connecting each bottomeboard with the delfiecting-board, wherebythe inflowing material is shunted from the dumping compartment to theother.

ln testimony whereof l afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN KLErAcH.

Witnesses H. WALTER TAYLOR, ERNEST MELBERG.

